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Explora: Environment
and Resource Sustainable fertilization for long bean cultivation

world’s arable land, and is exacerbated by unsustainable amendments for marginal soil improvement, specifically
farming practices, climate change, and deforestation. for long bean cultivation, remains limited. Most studies
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Addressing soil fertility in such degraded ecosystems is focus either on organic or chemical fertilizers, with few
crucial for ensuring food security, especially in regions exploring the synergistic effects of combining organic
where agriculture is the primary livelihood. 5 manure with natural phosphates. For example, Zhen
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Efforts to address soil fertility issues in marginal soils et al. evaluated organic amendments on sandy soils but
have traditionally relied on synthetic fertilizers. While did not consider their interaction with natural phosphate
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effective in boosting yields, the overuse of synthetic fertilizers. Similarly, Talboys et al. examined phosphorus
fertilizers has led to significant environmental issues, management in acidic soils but overlooked the potential
including nutrient runoff, water pollution, and increased of combining organic amendments to further enhance
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greenhouse gas emissions. The environmental costs nutrient availability. Recent research by Cen et al.
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of synthetic fertilizers are substantial, with nitrogen- demonstrated that combining organic and inorganic
based fertilizers alone contributing to approximately fertilizers significantly improved soil health and crop
2.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Recognizing yields in temperate regions, suggesting a similar potential
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these limitations, there is growing interest in exploring for tropical marginal soils.
sustainable alternatives that improve soil fertility This research aims to address these gaps by investigating
while minimizing environmental impacts. Organic the combined application of quail manure and natural
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amendments, such as manure and compost, have gained phosphate fertilizers for long bean cultivation on podzolic
attention for their ability to enhance soil structure, soils. The study evaluates their effects on key agronomic
increase microbial activity, and provide essential nutrients parameters, including plant growth, pod production, and
in a slow-release manner. Among these, quail manure soil health. By integrating these sustainable fertilization
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stands out as a rich source of organic carbon, nitrogen, and strategies, this study contributes to the broader discourse
phosphorus, which are critical for soil fertility. Recent on sustainable agriculture, particularly for regions with
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studies have demonstrated that quail manure not only degraded soils. The findings aim to provide actionable
improves soil health but also enhances crop resilience to insights for optimizing land use while promoting
environmental stressors, making it a promising option for environmental resilience, aligning with global efforts to
sustainable agriculture. 12 achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development
The potential of organic fertilizer to improve crop yields Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 12
and soil health has been highlighted in recent reports. For (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13
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instance, Ma et al. demonstrated that organic manure (Climate Action).
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application significantly increased soil organic carbon 2. Methods
and microbial activity, resulting in better nutrient cycling.
Similarly, Manono et al. found that the application of 2.1. Study location
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organic amendments significantly reduced soil bulk density, The study was conducted in a controlled greenhouse
which in turn improved water infiltration, retention, environment at the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas
and aeration, thereby promoting root development and Lancang Kuning, Riau, Indonesia (0°34’37.2”N
nutrient uptake. However, organic amendments alone may 101°25’30.3”E). The greenhouse conditions were regulated
not address phosphorus deficiencies prevalent in acidic to simulate the tropical climate of the region, with
podzolic soils. Natural phosphate fertilizers, derived temperatures maintained at 28 – 32°C, relative humidity at
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from sedimentary rocks, offer a sustainable alternative 70 – 80%, and a photoperiod of 12 h of light per day. These
by providing a slow-release source of phosphorus, which conditions were chosen to mimic the natural growing
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is essential for root and shoot development. Studies environment of long beans in tropical regions. The soil used
by Timofeeva et al. and Mardamootoo et al. have for the experiment was podzolic, representative of marginal
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demonstrated that natural phosphates are particularly soils in tropical regions, characterized by low fertility, high
effective in acidic soils, where their dissolution is acidity (pH 5.2), and poor phosphorus availability due to
enhanced, ensuring sustained phosphorus availability to Al and Fe fixation, as displayed in Figure 1.
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crops. In addition, the integration of organic and inorganic
amendments has reportedly improved the efficiency of 2.2. Experimental design
phosphorus use, reducing the need for synthetic inputs. 19 A factorial randomized complete block design was
While the benefits of organic and natural phosphate employed to assess two factors: quail manure (P) and
fertilizers are well-documented, research integrating these natural phosphate fertilizer (R). Quail manure was tested

Volume 2 Issue 1 (2025) 2 doi: 10.36922/eer.8348